CPR Survival figures are often quoted as averages, but the outcomes swing dramatically depending on who acts first and how fast. For example, a 2025 look at AED based response highlights that bystander use can raise survival in shockable OHCA to 67%, while systems without quick defibrillation tend to lag far behind. Here are the contrasts that matter most for real life rescues, from public AEDs and voice prompts to bystander CPR quality and time to first shock.
Key Takeaways
- Public AED use by bystanders before EMS arrival increases OHCA survival to 67% in shockable rhythms per 2022 Japanese registry
- Bystander AED application within 3 minutes yields 74% survival in witnessed VF OHCA Seattle 2020
- AED-equipped public sites OHCA survival 54.2% versus 9.3% non-equipped locations 2021 CARES
- Bystander CPR in OHCA increases survival to discharge by 2.8 times (from 7% to 19.6%) per 2022 AHA
- Dispatcher-assisted bystander CPR triples survival from 5.6% to 17.7% in unwitnessed OHCA 2021 study
- Bystander CPR in public OHCA yields 45% survival if AED also used versus 15% CPR alone Japan 2020
- In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survival to discharge is 25.8% per 2022 AHA Get With The Guidelines
- Shockable rhythm IHCA survival 38.9% versus 11.7% asystole/PEA in US 2021 registry
- IHCA in ICU survival to discharge 22.4% versus 29.1% in general wards per 2019 study
- In the United States, the overall survival to hospital discharge rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) treated with CPR is approximately 9.1% based on 2021 CARES data
- Shockable initial rhythm in OHCA leads to a survival rate of 29.7% to hospital discharge compared to 1.8% for non-shockable rhythms per 2022 AHA report
- In urban areas, OHCA survival to discharge is 11.2% versus 6.8% in rural areas according to 2019 ROC registry analysis
- Pediatric OHCA survival to discharge 9.2% overall lower than adults per 2022 AHA
- Infant (<1 year) CPR survival 5.6% versus 12.4% children 1-12 in US 2021 CARES
- Bystander CPR in pediatric OHCA survival 15.5% vs 4.5% no bystander per ROC 2020
Using bystander CPR and faster AED shocks can raise out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival to around 70 percent.
Related reading
01 · Category
AED27 stats
01
Public AED use by bystanders before EMS arrival increases OHCA survival to 67% in shockable rhythms per 2022 Japanese registry
02
Bystander AED application within 3 minutes yields 74% survival in witnessed VF OHCA Seattle 2020
03
AED-equipped public sites OHCA survival 54.2% versus 9.3% non-equipped locations 2021 CARES
04
First shock by AED survival 85.6% ROSC in VF per 2019 ROC epistry
05
Workplace AED programs increase survival 3-fold to 33.4% per AHA 2023
06
Airport AED bystander use survival 79% in VF cases 2021 study
07
School AED presence survival 48.2% in pediatric OHCA 2022
08
Casino AED rapid deployment survival >90% in witnessed arrests 2020 historical
09
AED pads applied by laypersons success 92% correct per training studies 2018
10
Public access defibrillation trial AED survival 41% vs 16% EMS only 2022 review
11
AED in gyms/fitness centers survival 62.7% bystander use 2023
12
Hotel AED survival 28.4% public areas 2021
13
Mall AED deployment survival 51.3% 2019 data
14
Train station AED survival 39.8% Japan 2020
15
Sports stadium AED survival 64.5% organized events 2022
16
Residential AED survival 12.6% if available rare 2021
17
AED voice prompts improve layperson shock success 98% 2018
18
EMS AED first shock survival 49.2% vs manual 44.7% 2020
19
Bystander AED + CPR survival 70.4% vs CPR 23.8% PAD trial 2023
20
AED in elderly homes survival 19.3% deployed 2022
21
Golf course AED survival 55.1% bystander 2021
22
Beach AED programs survival 32.7% drownings 2020
23
Church AED survival 41.2% services 2019
24
Library AED survival 27.8% 2022
25
Office AED survival 58.9% business hours 2021
26
Park AED survival 36.4% events 2023
27
Theater AED survival 46.7% 2020
Interpretation
AED Interpretation
When we scatter these simple, voice-guided life-rafts among us, the tide turns from a shocking 9% chance of survival to better-than-a-coin-flip odds, proving that our greatest weapon against sudden cardiac arrest is a prepared community willing to act.
02 · Category
Bystander CPR27 stats
01
Bystander CPR in OHCA increases survival to discharge by 2.8 times (from 7% to 19.6%) per 2022 AHA
02
Dispatcher-assisted bystander CPR triples survival from 5.6% to 17.7% in unwitnessed OHCA 2021 study
03
Bystander CPR in public OHCA yields 45% survival if AED also used versus 15% CPR alone Japan 2020
04
Conventional bystander CPR survival 14.6% versus compression-only 16.4% no difference in adults 2019 meta-analysis
05
Bystander CPR rate increased from 37.4% to 41.5% 2015-2021 correlating with survival rise CARES
06
Hands-only bystander CPR in witnessed shockable OHCA survival 57% per Seattle 2022
07
Bystander CPR by family members survival 11.2% versus strangers 18.9% location dependent 2020
08
Female bystanders perform CPR at 78% rate of males but equal survival impact 2021
09
Bystander CPR in Black communities 34.5% rate versus 45.2% White improving survival equity 2023
10
Video bystander CPR instruction survival 22.3% versus phone 14.7% pilot 2019
11
Bystander CPR within 1 minute survival 31.4% versus after 5 min 6.2% time-critical 2020
12
School-trained bystander CPR in youth OHCA survival 28.7% higher per Danish 2021
13
Bystander CPR adherence to ratio/depth improves survival 20.5% in feedback studies 2018
14
Non-cardiac OHCA bystander CPR survival boost 3.5 fold to 9.8% per 2022
15
Bystander CPR in opioid OD survival 18.4% with naloxone combo 2023
16
Bystander CPR training via apps increases intent and survival modeling 15.2% uplift 2021
17
Rural bystander CPR survival benefit 4.1% absolute increase smaller than urban 12.3% 2019
18
Bystander CPR in drownings survival 14.2% if continuous until EMS 2020
19
Elderly bystander CPR hesitation reduces rate to 28% but survival parity when performed 2022
20
Bystander CPR with dispatcher coaching survival 24.6% in residential 2021 CARES
21
Public bystander CPR survival 36.7% versus private 10.4% location effect 2018
22
Bystander AED + CPR survival 62.4% in VF OHCA high-performance 2023
23
Bystander CPR quality metric chest compression fraction >80% yields 19.2% survival 2020
24
Bystander CPR in sports events survival 41.3% due trained crowds 2022
25
First bystander CPR defibrillation survival 48.7% pre-EMS 2021 Japan
26
Bystander CPR survival to good CPC 13.5% overall OHCA 2022 meta
27
Bystander CPR reduces no-flow time to <60s improving survival 25.8% 2019
Interpretation
Bystander CPR Interpretation
Bystander CPR isn't just a good idea—it's a numbers game where every minute of action, every shouted instruction, and every public defibrillator turns a dire 7% chance of survival into a real fight, proving that our willingness to jump in and press hard is often the only difference between a statistic and a life coming home.
03 · Category
IHCA24 stats
01
In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survival to discharge is 25.8% per 2022 AHA Get With The Guidelines
02
Shockable rhythm IHCA survival 38.9% versus 11.7% asystole/PEA in US 2021 registry
03
IHCA in ICU survival to discharge 22.4% versus 29.1% in general wards per 2019 study
04
Rapid response team activation before IHCA improves survival by 15% to 27.3% in 2020 data
05
IHCA survival improved from 18.4% in 2000 to 25.8% in 2020 per AHA trends
06
Pediatric IHCA survival 39.2% versus adult 24.5% in 2021 GWTG-Resuscitation
07
IHCA during night shifts survival 21.3% versus 28.7% day shifts UK data 2019
08
IHCA with ROSC survival to good neuro outcome 54.6% with TTM in 2018 meta-analysis
09
IHCA in non-ICU telemetry survival 31.2% versus 19.8% non-monitored per 2022
10
IHCA due to respiratory arrest survival 28.4% versus 23.1% cardiac in EU 2020
11
Debriefing after IHCA improves survival 10% to 29.5% in cluster trial 2019
12
IHCA survival in teaching hospitals 26.8% versus 23.4% non-teaching 2021
13
Female IHCA survival 24.9% similar to male 25.6% in large registry 2020
14
IHCA with epinephrine within 5 min survival 32.1% versus 18.7% delayed per 2018
15
IHCA survival to 1-year 18.2% from discharge survivors in Danish study 2016
16
IHCA in cancer patients survival 16.5% versus 27.8% non-cancer 2022
17
High-performing IHCA centers achieve 35.2% survival per AHA 2023
18
IHCA with family presence survival unchanged at 25.1% versus 24.8% no presence 2019
19
IHCA survival post-CABG 45.6% highest etiology per 2021 registry
20
Black patients IHCA survival 22.3% versus 26.1% White in disparities 2020
21
IHCA with airway intervention survival 23.4% versus 27.9% bag-mask 2022 RCT
22
IHCA in emergency department survival 20.8% lowest location per 2019
23
Elderly IHCA (>80) survival 18.7% versus 28.4% younger in 2021
24
IHCA survival with ultra-rapid defibrillation 41.2% in shockable 2023
Interpretation
IHCA Interpretation
While survival from an in-hospital cardiac arrest hinges on a complex cocktail of factors—from the lightning speed of defibrillation and epinephrine to the cruel whims of a night shift or a pre-existing cancer diagnosis—the data shows that survival is not a matter of destiny but a formula of vigilant systems, rapid intervention, and institutional excellence, where the difference between a 12% and a 45% chance can come down to the right wire, the right drug, the right team, and perhaps, a forgiving circadian rhythm.
More related reading
04 · Category
OHCA29 stats
01
In the United States, the overall survival to hospital discharge rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) treated with CPR is approximately 9.1% based on 2021 CARES data
02
Shockable initial rhythm in OHCA leads to a survival rate of 29.7% to hospital discharge compared to 1.8% for non-shockable rhythms per 2022 AHA report
03
In urban areas, OHCA survival to discharge is 11.2% versus 6.8% in rural areas according to 2019 ROC registry analysis
04
Witnessed OHCA has a 24.5% survival rate to discharge while unwitnessed is 4.2% from Swedish registry 2018-2020
05
Public location OHCA survival to discharge is 34.5% versus 12.1% at home in Seattle EMS data 2020
06
Bystander CPR in OHCA increases survival from 2.4% to 9.8% per Japanese nationwide data 2019
07
EMS response time under 8 minutes correlates with 15.3% OHCA survival versus 7.2% over 8 minutes in UK data 2021
08
Ventricular fibrillation OHCA survival to 30 days is 26.4% in Norway registry 2015-2019
09
OHCA survival to 1-year is 7.7% overall in Danish registry 2001-2010 long-term follow-up
10
In Asia, OHCA survival to discharge averages 2.8% per Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study 2017
11
OHCA with ROSC prehospital survival to discharge 18.5% versus 8.2% without per German data 2020
12
Nighttime OHCA survival 6.3% lower than daytime at 10.2% in US CARES 2022
13
OHCA due to AMI survival 22.1% versus 5.4% non-AMI causes in Finland registry 2016
14
High-quality CPR in OHCA yields 14.6% neurologically intact survival per 2018 AHA guidelines data
15
OHCA in airports survival to discharge 44.2% due to high AED access per 2021 study
16
Survival from OHCA with therapeutic hypothermia post-ROSC is 11.2% versus 5.7% without in 2019 meta-analysis
17
OHCA survival improved from 7.6% in 2015 to 10.4% in 2021 per American Heart Association data
18
Black patients OHCA survival 6.8% versus 10.2% White patients in US 2020 disparities study
19
OHCA survival to discharge 39.2% with bystander AED before EMS in Japan 2022
20
Weekend OHCA survival 8.9% versus 11.4% weekdays in Australian data 2019
21
OHCA with bystander CPR and shockable rhythm survival 57.6% in high-performing systems like King County
22
Female OHCA survival 8.1% versus 10.5% males in European registry 2021
23
OHCA survival post-ROSC to good neuro outcome 23.4% with ECPR in refractory cases 2020
24
Residential OHCA survival 9.3% with dispatcher-assisted CPR per 2018 study
25
OHCA survival rate in sports facilities 28.7% due to trained responders 2022
26
Elderly (>80) OHCA survival 4.2% versus 12.6% under 60 in CARES 2021
27
OHCA with opioid overdose survival 12.1% with naloxone and CPR 2023 data
28
Survival from OHCA in nursing homes 5.6% per 2020 US study
29
OHCA survival with immediate CPR 18.9% versus delayed 3.4% in witnessed cases 2019
Interpretation
OHCA Interpretation
Your odds of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest are less than a coin flip at a carnival, yet they skyrocket if you're lucky enough to collapse in public with a shockable heart and a bystander who knows CPR and can grab an AED before the ambulance arrives.
05 · Category
Pediatric29 stats
01
Pediatric OHCA survival to discharge 9.2% overall lower than adults per 2022 AHA
02
Infant (<1 year) CPR survival 5.6% versus 12.4% children 1-12 in US 2021 CARES
03
Bystander CPR in pediatric OHCA survival 15.5% vs 4.5% no bystander per ROC 2020
04
Pediatric IHCA survival 43.3% shockable vs 10.7% non-shockable GWTG 2023
05
Drowning pediatric OHCA survival 18.2% with bystander CPR cold water 2021
06
School pediatric collapse survival 28.9% AED use 2022
07
Newborn CPR survival asphyxia 45.6% NICU IHCA 2020
08
Pediatric trauma OHCA survival 2.8% low per 2019 registry
09
Adolescent athlete sudden cardiac survival 89% with AED chain 2023 AHA
10
Pediatric dispatcher CPR instructions survival 17.3% uptake 2021
11
Infant SIDS-related CPR survival 3.1% bystander 2022
12
Pediatric ECPR survival 38.4% refractory 2020
13
Child home OHCA survival 8.7% vs public 24.5% 2019
14
Neonatal CPR ROSC 62% in delivery room per 2021
15
Pediatric asthma IHCA survival 35.2% 2022
16
Toddler choking CPR survival 14.6% Heimlich + CPR 2020
17
Pediatric sepsis OHCA survival 7.9% 2018
18
High school CPR training boosts bystander rate to 68% survival impact 2023
19
Congenital heart pediatric IHCA survival 29.4% post-op 2021
20
Pediatric rural OHCA survival 4.2% access issue 2022
21
Infant non-shockable OHCA survival 1.8% 2020
22
Child commuter OHCA survival 31.7% bus/train 2019
23
Pediatric ECMO bridge survival 52.3% 2023
24
Adolescent female pediatric OHCA survival 11.2% vs male 13.8% 2021
25
Pediatric cancer OHCA survival 6.5% 2022
26
Neonatal bradycardia CPR survival 78.9% meds + compressions 2020
27
Pediatric witnessed OHCA survival 19.4% bystander 2023
28
Child opioid exposure OHCA survival 9.7% naloxone 2022
29
Pediatric neuro-intact survival 12.1% post-discharge 2021 GWTG
Interpretation
Pediatric Interpretation
These statistics paint a stark but actionable picture: while pediatric cardiac arrest survival is dauntingly low, especially for infants at home, the clear and present lifeline in nearly every scenario is immediate, competent bystander intervention, which can dramatically tilt the odds from a tragic ending toward a hopeful one.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Diana Reeves. (2026, February 13). Cpr Survival Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cpr-survival-statistics
MLA
Diana Reeves. "Cpr Survival Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cpr-survival-statistics.
Chicago
Diana Reeves. 2026. "Cpr Survival Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cpr-survival-statistics.
Sources & references
9 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level